Prairie Falcon Watercolor Don R. Eckelberry from Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World (1968) Brown and Amadon, McGraw-Hill, New York. Peregrine Falcon Watercolor Don R. Eckelberry from Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World (1968) Brown and Amadon, McGraw-Hill, New York. The Prairie Falcon is smaller more slender, and more maneuverable in flight than the Peregrine Falcon, but less adapt as a hunter, specializing on prey usually caught near the ground. The Peregrine Falcon, known for its dramatic stoops, served as an icon for the hazards of DDT and other environmental pollutants as declines from eggshell thinning led to classifying the bird as endangered in 1970. By 1975 the North American population was reduced to 159 known nesting pairs. After 29 years of federal protection and ceaseless efforts of the Peregrine Fund, the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center and the University of California's Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, the population grew to 1650 pairs by 1997, and was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999. Monitoring will continue for 13 years, determining the population status of at least two falcon generations. Stanford Note: One does not expect to see the Prairie Falcon on campus. So rare is its presence, that sightings (date, place, time, activity) are especially welcome. It has long been rumored that Peregrine can be seen at Hoover Tower, but there are no official records.